Professor Stazi's volume on biotechnological inventions is an excellent work that any scholar or practitioner in this complex area of law should not only read, but also frequently consult. This detailed, systematic and comprehensive explanation of the provisions on 'patentability of life' - both in the EU and the USA - is combined with the related theories and constructions as well as the relevant case law. In this regard, the author offers a balanced overview of the relevant provisions and their explicit or implied exceptions.' - Alberto Musso, University of Bologna, Italy'The appropriate protection of biotechnological inventions and the so-called 'patentability of life' are one of the most crucial questions of modern intellectual property. It is also one of the most debated, as it involves not only complex legal issues but raises high social, ethical and even sometimes religious concerns. Professor Stazi's book is thus a very timely contribution, managing the 'tour de force' of combining serious and comparative doctrinal analysis of the criteria (and the limits) of patentability, while at the same time offering a good overview of the challenges with regard to bioethics and fundamental rights. Without any doubt, this volume will enrich the already excellent series on New Directions in Patent Law.' - Christophe Geiger, CEIPI, University of Strasbourg, France In today's technological world, biotechnology is one of the most innovative and highly invested-in industries for research, in the field of science. This book analyzes the forms and limitations of patent protection recognition for biotechnological inventions, with particular regard to patentability of life. The author expertly compares the United States model, traditionally based on technical evaluations, with the European model, inspired by fundamental rights and bioethics. He highlights how the regulation of biotechnological inventions should guarantee a fair balance between protection of investment and access to information, which is essential for further research and innovation. Academics and practitioners dealing with intellectual property, patent law and biotechnological inventions will find this book to be of interest. The topics discussed will also be useful for patent offices and medical institutions, as well as medical researchers.

The book analyzes the most relevant developments in the relation between contracts and technology, from automatically concluded contracts to today's revolutionary "smart contracts" developed through blockchain, which are beginning to and will increasingly disrupt many economic and social relations. First of all, the author offers a broad analysis of the peculiarities and evolution of the relation between contracts and technology. The main features and elements of electronic contracts are then examined in depth to highlight the specific rules applicable to them in the international comparative legal framework. In turn, the book provides a detailed explanation of the technology, economic and social dynamics, and legal issues concerning blockchain and smart contracts. The analysis focuses on the question of the legal nature of smart contracts, the issues posed by their development and the first legal solutions adopted in some countries. The comparative approach pursued makes it possible to focus attention on the first solutions adopted until now in various systems, with particular regard to the circulation of models and ideas and to the specificities of their local variations, in terms of e.g. applicable law and jurisdiction. In reviewing the characteristics of distributed ledger technologies, and in particular of the blockchain technology on which smart contracts are based, above all the peculiarities of the latter are taken into consideration, especially automatic execution and resistance to tampering, which simultaneously present significant opportunities and complex legal issues. A comprehensive framework is then provided to reconcile smart contracts with comparative contract law, in order to define the scope and specificities of their binding force, legal effectiveness and regulation in various legal systems. Lastly, with specific reference to the elements, pathologies and contractual remedies for smart contracts, the book examines the peculiarities of their application and the main issues that emerge in comparative contract law in order to promote their harmonized use, in keeping with the transnational nature of such a revolutionary tool.

The book analyzes the most relevant developments in the relation between contracts and technology, from automatically concluded contracts to today's revolutionary "smart contracts" developed through blockchain, which are beginning to and will increasingly disrupt many economic and social relations. First of all, the author offers a broad analysis of the peculiarities and evolution of the relation between contracts and technology. The main features and elements of electronic contracts are then examined in depth to highlight the specific rules applicable to them in the international comparative legal framework. In turn, the book provides a detailed explanation of the technology, economic and social dynamics, and legal issues concerning blockchain and smart contracts. The analysis focuses on the question of the legal nature of smart contracts, the issues posed by their development and the first legal solutions adopted in some countries. The comparative approach pursued makes it possible to focus attention on the first solutions adopted until now in various systems, with particular regard to the circulation of models and ideas and to the specificities of their local variations, in terms of e.g. applicable law and jurisdiction. In reviewing the characteristics of distributed ledger technologies, and in particular of the blockchain technology on which smart contracts are based, above all the peculiarities of the latter are taken into consideration, especially automatic execution and resistance to tampering, which simultaneously present significant opportunities and complex legal issues. A comprehensive framework is then provided to reconcile smart contracts with comparative contract law, in order to define the scope and specificities of their binding force, legal effectiveness and regulation in various legal systems. Lastly, with specific reference to the elements, pathologies and contractual remedies for smart contracts, the book examines the peculiarities of their application and the main issues that emerge in comparative contract law in order to promote their harmonized use, in keeping with the transnational nature of such a revolutionary tool.